CHENNAI: Titli Maji was still a toddler when her father, who used to work as a goldsmith in New Delhi, died by suicide. It was learnt that he ended his life due to financial constraints. Mother Alpana was unemployed at the time and soon the family had a new member in the form of a second daughter, who was named Trisha.
Initially, the neighbours supported the family as they used to take care of their meals. As Titli turned three, Alpana got a cook's job in a local school. But the meagre income she earns by cooking mid-day meals for school students was never enough to sustain the family comprising two daughters.
With time, Titli got interested in sports and started pursuing gymnastics. A couple of years later, she developed interest in weightlifting and approached Srikanta Modi, who runs a gym near her house in Deulpur, Howrah (West Bengal). The mother, however, was against her daughter pursuing weightlifting. The difficulties she faced at the time might have made her averse to the daughter's decision. Whatever doubts she may have had vanished when Titli was selected for the national camp six months ago and on Friday, Alpana would have been a proud mother as her daughter has won a silver medal each in the snatch, clean and jerk, and total of the 45kg weight category at the Asian Youth and Junior Championships in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. It was Titli's first international meet but she shone brightly on the platform lifting 65kg in snatch, 80kg in clean and jerk taking her total to 145kg.
All that would not have been possible without help and generosity of the local coaches including Srikanta and Pralay Bagh. "I saw people doing weightlifting and developed a fondness for the sport. I went to Srikanta sir but initially he told me that his gym is full. He said he will speak to some other coaches but eventually relented on my insistence. He along with Pralay sir not only helped me train but also took care of my dietary requirements. They used to feed me chicken and other essential food items, which my family could not afford," Titli told this daily from Tashkent.
Soon Titli's sister followed in her footsteps and started training for weightlifting. "Titli trained for three years before being included in the national camp being held in Patiala. Her sister still trains at the centre. Both are hardworking and what stands them apart is their confidence and fighting spirit," coach Srikanta said.
A gold in school national changed everything as Titli was inducted in the national camp. She receives Khelo India scholarship and her school also provides her monthly financial assistance. "My mother still works as a cook in the school and her income is not enough, especially with my sister also pursuing weightlifting. So I save money every month from my Khelo India scholarship and financial assistance which I get from school and send it to my family. Anyway my dietary requirements are now being taken care of here in Patiala," the 15-year-old lifter said.
Apart from financial issues, Titli also suffered back injury in her early days forcing her to step away from the weightlifting platform for almost a year. "Almost a year after I began training with Srikanta sir, I started having a problem in my back. Such was the pain that I had to leave lifting for almost a year. Thankfully, it got healed and I returned to the centre to continue with my training," Titli said.
With her first international medals on her maiden outing already in her pocket, Titli now wants to win a medal at the nationals. "I compete in the youth category and want to win a medal in the national championships," she said.
In the same weight category, Parishmita Gogoi of India finished fourth with a total lift of 141kg. Parishmita topped the snatch section with a lift of 65kg but managed only 76kg in the clean and jerk.